About Bello Ismail:

Ismail Bello, a Nigerian award-winning Business Development Consultant, Youth Advocate, and Innovation Expert, has over ten years of experience in civic leadership and youth development. He played a key role in a UNDP-backed project that influenced Nigerian legislation, lowering the voting age to empower youth in governance. Through the Youth Entrepreneurship Support Hub (YES-Hub), he trains young entrepreneurs in business development and leadership, collaborating with organizations like the Tony Elumelu Foundation. As an advisor to the EU and a nominee for the U.S. IVLP, his initiatives promote youth political participation, good governance, and transformative leadership across Nigeria.

Background:

In May 2016 – May 2018 My organization Youth Entrepreneurship Support Hub (Yes-Hub) under my leadership undergo a project with a leading non-profit organization in Nigeria that is building young people’s capacity and strengthening democracy, the Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (Yiaga) Africa Supported by NDI, USAID, and UKaid.

Not Too Young To Run Project:

The #NotTooYoungToRun Campaign aimed to amend Nigeria’s constitution, reducing the age qualification for elective positions to enhance youth political participation. It successfully passed both chambers of the National Assembly in July 2017, with 33 out of 36 state assemblies adopting the bill. The President of Nigeria gave assent in May 2018, making it law. This landmark achievement empowered young people to participate in governance at local, state, and federal levels. It also earned my organization recognition as a leading advocate for youth rights and freedom, cementing our commitment to creating opportunities for young leaders to engage in the political process.

Other Professional Engagements:

• I created “Youth Entrepreneurship Support Hub (YES – Hub)”, a youth initiative creating business leaders of tomorrow and it was formed in August 2015. I promoted entrepreneurship and created a platform for youth to nurture their business ideas, while creating business leaders of tomorrow through knowledge, mentorship and access to investors.
• At initial stage, YesHub conducted training to 200 youths. I selected young entrepreneurs/Innovators with groundbreaking ideas for the program designed to grow their businesses and position them for seed investment.
• I then developed the YesHub Accelerator/Incubation, which is a Three-week program that runs after every six-month in Nigeria. My team and panel of judges select promising civic-minded startups for this business boot-camp, in which entrepreneurs/Innovators receive access to business support, mentorship, and our investor network to better grow their businesses/Ideas and be positioned to receive investment.
• Upon completion of the trainings, the participants were guided to apply for the Tony Elumelu Foundation Grants and 3 of them won. The others have received financial support from the Katsina State Government through the Department of Empowerment and Special Intervention (DESI) and over 200 new businesses started across Katsina state. Free support and growth work plan is still being provided to these business owners.

Publications:

https://dailytrust.com/if-we-combine-our-thoughts-start-business-ventures-poverty-ll-end-bello

https://dailytrust.com/foundation-holds-retreat-for-young-lawmakers

https://dailytrust.com/youth-hub-holds-session-on-mandela-day

https://dailytrust.com/nigerian-shines-at-ilo-global-youth-employment-forum

https://dailytrust.com/kdi-trains-36-youth-on-election-tribunal-monitoring 

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